Blyth & Tyne Railway
Encyclopedia
The Blyth and Tyne Railway was a railway in Northumberland
, England
chiefly constructed to link the collieries in Ashington
, Seghill
and Blyth
to the River Tyne
at Percy Main
. It later expanded to link Tynemouth
and Newcastle upon Tyne
, providing a passenger service to Whitley Bay
. The railway operated under three names, 1840-1847 the Seghill Railway, 1847-1853 the Blyth, Seghill & Percy Main Railway, and 1853-1874 the Blyth & Tyne Railway, until it was absorbed by the North Eastern Railway
in 1874.
.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
chiefly constructed to link the collieries in Ashington
Ashington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
, Seghill
Seghill
Seghill is a small village located on the Northumberland border which is the county boundary between Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. Seghill is situated between the villages of Seaton Delaval and Annitsford, about north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
and Blyth
Blyth, Northumberland
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
to the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
at Percy Main
Percy Main Metro station
Percy Main Metro station is on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro in the village of Percy Main in North Tyneside, England. The original station of the Newcastle & North Shields Railway opened in 1839 to serve a small riverside community clustered around a colliery...
. It later expanded to link Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
and Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, providing a passenger service to Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
. The railway operated under three names, 1840-1847 the Seghill Railway, 1847-1853 the Blyth, Seghill & Percy Main Railway, and 1853-1874 the Blyth & Tyne Railway, until it was absorbed by the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
in 1874.
History
Starting on 1 June 1840 as the coal carrying railway that ran from Seghill to Percy Main the line developed in a number of stages. The line opened to passengers the next year. In 1846 the line was extended from Seghill to Hartley, and the next year from Hartley to Blyth. The line bought the Newsham to Bedlington line from Bedlington Coal Company in 1855 and extended the line to Morpeth in 1858, and created a separate line to North Seaton the next year. The Hartley to Tynemouth branch known as the Avenue Branch opened in 1860 with the New Bridge Street to Tynemouth section opening four years later. In 1872 the company moved the line from Whitley to Tynemouth nearer the coast and extended the North Seaton line to Newbiggin. In 1874 the line was absorbed by the North Eastern RailwayNorth Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
.